<> Ask the Pastor Pastor Walter Snyder This Friday, the 31st of October, marks the 480th anniversary of the beginning of the Lutheran Reformation. This reform movement spread from Saxony in Germany to other areas. Abuses in the institutional church and growing nationalism fanned the flames of reform through much of northern and western Europe. Not only was the Roman Catholic Church split in two--it was broken into many pieces. This bit of history ties with the question we have on the table: Q: What are the principal differences between mainstream Protestant denominations and the modern Roman Catholic Church? A: We looked at sacraments last week. Let's go on to other areas of doctrine and practice. Lutherans and Catholics are both liturgical. We follow an orderly and ancient pattern in our worship. With our hymns, Scripture readings, sermons, and the Lord's Supper, we are connected with the worship of the Old and New Testament churches. On any Sunday, literally millions of Lutherans around the world may, in their own languages, be singing and praying the very same thing. It binds together a wide spread church. The same is largely true for Catholics, as well. The liturgy is not meant to be stiff and stuffy, but it is formal. It speaks of the mystery and the majesty of God. In this area, we also resemble the Anglican-Episcopal and Eastern Orthodox Churches. Most Protestants aren't so closely bound to the ancient orders of worship of the Christian Church. Indeed, inventiveness and introduction of new forms are almost a disease in much of western Christendom. In questions of Biblical authority, the Catholic Church generally leans less on Scripture and more on tradition and the interpretations of the Church. Most conservative Protestant churches teach an inerrant Bible and champion the ability of each person to interpret the word for himself. Liberal Protestants generally discard the authoritative nature of the Bible, while still asserting an overall independence of the individual. In the Lutheran Church, we've had extremists who push for total individualism or for a near-total interpretation of the Word by the clergy. A few Lutherans go beyond accepting the Bible as the inspired, unerring Word to an unhealthy worship of Scripture itself. There are other Lutherans who join Protestant (and Roman Catholic) modernists in denying divine authorship of the Bible. Lutheran teaching has, however, centered itself upon accepting the Scriptures as the very Word of God, while balancing interpretation between the "average" lay reader and the specially trained pastor. Women's issues, including pastoral ordination, also divide Catholics from Protestants. Rome remains staunchly opposed to women in the priesthood. Many (most?) Protestant churches allow women in the ministry. With some of them, the battle is still being fought. For example, more liberal Lutheran bodies already have woman pastors, while those following the traditional, orthodox teachings steadfastly refuse to even consider such heresy. Meanwhile, there are numerous clergy, nuns, and laity who are pushing for women priests. We could look at almost any area in which a church might take a stand and find similarities and differences among Catholics, Protestants, and Lutherans. Included might be abortion, birth control, divorce, and a variety of societal issues. Purgatory is taught in Catholicism, much of Eastern Orthodoxy, and a few western churches. There's also the issue of the final authority of the Pope. However, even many who consider themselves Catholic do no more than pay lip service to the pontiff. The sacraments we discussed last week. We can move on to what remains the biggest difference between Catholicism and Lutheranism, the doctrine of Justification by Faith. This was the defining doctrine of the Lutheran Reformation, and it continued in the Protestant reform movements across Europe. The Reformation teaching is that no human deeds, done either before or after conversion, do anything to merit forgiveness of sins and eternal life. The Lutheran (and traditional Protestant) doctrine is that forgiveness is solely an act of God, done for the sake of Jesus Christ. Our central Lutheran doctrine, from Article IV of the Augsburg Confession, is, "[M]en cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified [declared not guilty] for Christ's sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor, and that their sins are forgiven for Christ's sake, who, by His death, has made satisfaction for our sins. This faith God imputes for righteousness in His sight. Rom. 3 and 4." This agrees with Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God--not because of works, lest any man should boast." Catholicism adds penance, special good works, masses, and the like as requirements for full remission of all sins and removal of all punishment. Remember to "Ask the Pastor" at P.O. Box 1080, Jasper, Texas, 75951; E-mail xrysostom@aol.com; or catch me around town. Pastor Snyder serves St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches, Jasper and Woodville, Texas, and is the coauthor of "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1997 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.